Ch26: Light Waves and Lumber Jacks

After figuring out that the talons were being posted as a trophy for the lumber jack games by Jean Bison, we set to work on not only getting the battery completely drained (Since I knew for a fact where it was... I used the Clockwerk eyes again in the Lighthouse with Bison...), but also gaining some advantages of our own to cheat our way to a win in the Lumber Jack Games.

While Sly got the book about log chopping for Murray to use, Bentley, Murray, and myself infiltrated the lighthouse and destroyed the collection system for Northern Light energy. "Why mess with such a beauty as the Northern Lights, eh?" I asked, trying to mock Jean Bison's accent which made Murray chuckle a bit. "You guys go ahead and stay down here, I'll go upstairs and flip the switch... sounds simple enough..." I smirked when Bentley explained I had to scale the tower AGAIN. I didn't mind, though, since I knew this was coming.

"Super JUMP!" I exclaimed, jumping the entire length of the lighthouse to the very top area, flipping the switch within seconds. "We did it! The collection mechanism is overloading!" Bentley exclaimed. I felt happy for him, since that meant Sly was probably done getting the guide now. "Did ya get the log chopping book, Sly?" I asked him. "Yeah, and a mammoth came out of it... only he fell in the ice water and froze solid within seconds of being freed..." he frowned. "Sorry to hear that... didn't know mammoths were suicidal..." I giggled. "Yeah, ha ha, hilarious," he groaned.

That was when Sly, Murray, and Bentley began their duties to drain the battery by using the computer-powered boats scattered around the area. While they did that, I once again dared defiance to nature's laws of physics as I did enormous leaps from island to island in order to grab an eagle egg from the Canadian eagle nest. I was back within the course of ten minutes, all the time needed for the other guys to drain the battery. "Alright guys! Let's get on with the heist," I smiled.

Though every fiber of my being wanted to participate in the games, I knew for a fact I had to sit it out. Sly had to lay low while he participated as well. I knew it was my fault for that, since I happened to have revealed myself to the Klaww Gang at Dimitri's. But... I WAS able to watch it via turning invisible while the games went on. "This is crazy!" Murray frowned, none the wiser that I was hidden behind them. "Jean Bison's got those judges so intimidated, there's no way he can lose!"

"This strategy isn't working! We need to win those talons... now, I'm kinda going off the fly here, but what if we distracted those guards one by one and lured them into this cave? When that happens, we tie 'em up and take their clothes?" "That's genius, Sly!" Bentley exclaimed. I frowned, knowing it wouldn't work... but it was the only way the story had to go.

We needed to have the story play out like this. If it didn't, I'd never be able to see the look on Neyla's face when she wouldn't be able to see two inches in front of her when she got into Clockwerk's body. While I thought about this, the gang members all took their place at the judges table, giving Bison a total score of 0. "Whut?! I thought I warned you boys about the consequences for incorrect scores!... Hmm... wait a second... you aren't the judges I hired! It's the scrawny raccoon and his annoying friends! Well if you want the Clockwerk talons so bad them why don't you just take 'em?!"

I met back up with the gang after the realization hit them that the Clockwerk parts had been stolen. I frowned and told them that there were WAY too many guards to handle when they stole the parts and that we still had the eyes, but that didn't seem to lift their spirits. "Let's just get to the battery," I frowned. "If that guy was right, we could be able to still make it if we hoof it there!"

That did the trick as we all ran for the battery, shutting ourselves in there and waiting in the darkness as we waited for the inevitable to happen. Then came the large bump that knocked me onto Sly's lap, which surprised both of us, but we stayed quiet. We were being lifted to Arpeggio's blimp. "I... I'm sorry guys..." I frowned and sighed, now that we were able to talk. "Was this part of the story too?" Sly frowned. "Losing the Clockwerk parts to Arpeggio? You let that happen?"

I sighed, rubbing the eyes in my back pocket. "You need to believe me... if we don't do these last few things nearly by the book, the story will be heavily impacted as Clockwerk's body will still be around. We need to attack them in their blimp. If we just do these last few things well, we can and WILL be rid of not only those two, but Clockwerk as well." Bentley and Murray sighed. Murray had stopped looking at the van by now, his treasured love drifting off to China's frigid waters. "You'll meet it again one day big boy," I frowned, patting him on the back. He frowned as a few tears fell. "You will. Trust me."